Forum Burnout

I've been on the internet since before it was cool. :-) I started out using electronic communication with Ecunet, and online Christian communication network that began back in the 1980. (I know, that's before the dawn of time in internet years.). It started with a communication software called Bizlink and it was a proprietary dialup system.

Since then I've been involved in a number of listservs, yahoo groups, and web forums. Over the years I have experienced some good Christian fellowship, gotten to know a lot of different Christians around the US, and had some good theological discussion and dialogue. But, lately, I'm feeling burned out with the whole thing.

It seems on some of the forums I frequent that the discussions have degenerated into red state/blue state disagreements and fighting over theological hotbutton issues that seem to go on for pages but never change anyone's mind. Rather than dialogue it often becomes either preaching to the choir or tar and feathering your opponent. Worse, it seems much easier to be polemical when speaking online in ways that most people would never be comfortable exchanging ideas face to face.

The internet is a great tool for communication. But, like all tools, it has limitations. Forums are limited by their impersonal distance conversation to print alone. You can't see facial expression. You can't tell tone of voice. And, in many ways, you can't have a full dialogue.

Maybe an old fashioned conversation over a cup of coffee should be the next high tech trend.